Egg Safety

[gaduke]

How long can an egg sit in the coop and still be safe to eat?

Thanks

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Till it isn't.

Since I don't wash my eggs and keep them unrefrigerated, I'd suppose there is no difference between the hen's nest and my counter top?? (Assuming a broody hen isn't incubating them.)

Actually, your local temperatures figure in that. Where I live, at this time of year, I wouldn't want my eggs sitting longer than the same day they are laid. However, in the spring, fall & winter, our temperatures are such that eggs we find in the loft that may be up to a week old are still fine.

While I would never sell or give away any suspect eggs, we keep them for us. When we use them, we break them individually into a separate little bowl to see if they are still fresh. I really hate to waste good food.

 

[faykokoWV]

I agree, one day unless the temperatures are milder or your coop is relatively cool.

We always feed the "suspect" ones to the dogs or hard boil them and feed them back to the chickens.

 

[gaduke]

Ok, Thanks for your replys!!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree. It depends on your climate. And I always break an egg into a separate container to make sure it is good, no matter where it came from.

Another reason to gather eggs daily is that an egg left in the nest overnight is an invitation to a predator, especially rats that are active at night and may be attracted to the area by your feed.

If you have suspect eggs, you can see if they float. An egg loses moisture as it ages and the air sac gets larger. Once it gets "old" it floats. An egg that sinks is not necessarily good so I would still crack it in a separate bowl, but I consider any that float as bad.

Good luck!